If you are sociable or private, opinionated or easy-going, these are the range of characteristics you may encounter in an assisted living community. In many respects, assisted living creates the ultimate sense of community; it’s where you’ll likely garner that sense of belonging and comfort as you intermingle with a diverse resident-group, and have access to a variety of built-in services.

Assisted living is still the new kid on the block having only emerged in the 1990s. This relatively new market has been afflicted with a number of misnomers and misconceptions about its core services. It is useful, therefore to put some perspective on what you can expect from assisted living communities, and these five (5) facts may just surprise you:

Why should you care about March 21st? Because yesterday was “Companies that Care Day”; a day which according to Companies that Care, an organization that raises awareness for the appreciation and fair, equal treatment of employees at every company "encourages employers to highlight and expand their employee and community initiatives, and recognize the people who make their companies successful."

In the period immediately following World War II, the United States experienced an increase in its birth rate. This period came to be known as the "baby boom," with those born during that time being known as "baby boomers." While this was a prosperous period in American history, we are beginning to face one of the unintended consequences of the baby boom… a large aging population. As baby boomers are getting older, many will be facing the decision to move into assisted living or other kinds of senior housing.

Socializing: It's for Kids, Ages 2 to 102. Most people understand the importance of encouraging young children to socialize, but it's easy to overlook the importance of socialization for older adults. Human nature leads us to crave fulfilling relationships with other people. As we age however, life circumstances may push us toward loneliness and isolation unless we take proactive steps to cultivate new relationships. This applies regardless of whether someone lives alone or in an assisted living community. Consider some of the benefits of socialization for your aging loved one…

When we think about pet therapy, we often think of our four-legged, furry friends. But what about the joy many derive from birds? A number of our residents have their own birds or enjoy caring for the “community” birds. At Wesley Heights, checking up on the zebra finches is a popular activity! They hop around in the cage, responding to residents. Residents and staff alike take responsibility for caring for the birds. It is nice for residents to have something to care for; to be needed.

With so many tragedies happening in the world, it is important to take a step back and remember the good things people do. The tragic event at Sandy Hook Elementary School has led to the creation of the “26 Acts of Kindness”. These acts were created to honor the twenty-six lives that were lost and to spread the importance of being kind to others. The acts began with giving sweet notes of encouragement to strangers, giving cookies to first responders, and donating to “Toys for Tots”. The “26 Acts of Kindness” can be as simple as saying thank you, or purchasing someone’s coffee for them in the morning. By passing on kindness, the world is reminded of the good in people and not just the tragedy in our world.

Moving your loved one into an assisted living community can be a challenging time for any family. This is especially true for the person who will be making the move. A new place, new neighbors and new caretakers can be a lot for someone of an advanced age to think about. Here are some tips on how to make an assisted living transition a little bit easier on your loved one.

As people age, it's a sad fact of life that some of their friends and family members will move away or die. Someone who might've had many familial and friendship ties is suddenly left with a sense of loss and loneliness; coupled with the fact that older people may have trouble accomplishing tasks that were previously easy for them; one can see how quite quickly this can lead to a state of sadness that is hard to break. So how do you help a loved one? Encouraging them to develop new friendships is one way. When your loved one moves into an assisted living facility, they will hopefully find a wealth of new potential friendships that can really help boost their spirits. Here's a look at the benefits of your loved one forming new friendships.

While many may view Valentine’s Day as a day of flowers, chocolates, cards and teddy bears, it is much more than that. Valentine’s Day is truly a time to celebrate the importance of relationships; with our parents, children, family, friends and significant other. It is a time to tell those you care about and those who have made a difference your life how much they mean to you.

Cooking is often an activity seniors love to do with their friends and loved ones. There is something about being in the kitchen that brings people together. As part of our healthy senior living initiative, we recently hosted an event, “Healthy Eating in the New Year” where we prepared and shared several recipes with one another. Below are the recipes which were enjoyed by all.